Rental Fee Transparency Ordinance
About the Rental Fee Transparency Ordinance
The Rental Fee Transparency Ordinance (20260528-045) was approved by the Austin City Council on May 28, 2026, requiring housing providers with five or more residential units to give prospective tenants a written, itemized list of all mandatory, optional, and estimated variable fees before quoting rent or accepting applications.
The goal is to help renters understand the full cost of living in a unit and avoid unexpected charges. All rental advertisements must include the cost of rent and any recurring fixed fees.
Review the engagement process and read the Engagement Summary at www.SpeakUpAustin.org/RentalFees.
Ordinance Requirements
The Rental Fee Transparency Ordinance, enforced by Austin Equity and Inclusion, will go into effect on:
October 1, 2026: The ordinance applies on and after October 1, 2026, to a person who rents, leases, or manages 50 or more dwellings that are used as a residence.
January 1, 2027: The ordinance applies on and after January 1, 2027, to a person who rents, leases, or manages:
5-49 dwellings that are used as a residence or
Spaces for mobile homes or recreational vehicles that are used as a residence.
Once the ordinance is in effect, landlords are required to provide a written list of fees before quoting rent or accepting applications, including:
Mandatory fees (monthly cost of rent and any mandatory fixed fees like trash, amenities, pest control, renter insurance, application or move-in fees)
Optional fees (for goods, services, or amenities that the provider offers but a tenant is not required to accept, like pet fees or parking)
Variable fees (estimation of fees based on use or other factors not controlled by the landlord, including utilities)
This law will not apply to fees related to damage, lease violations, or other tenant-caused issues during the lease term, or to landlords with fewer than five dwellings.
Report a possible violation of the City of Austin Rental Fee Transparency Ordinance
Fee Disclosure Complaint Form-English
Fee Disclosure Complaint Form-Spanish
Download the Standard Disclosure Form for landlords in English or Spanish
Standard Disclousre Form-English
Standard Disclosure Form-Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions for Providers
Providers with 50 or more dwellings must comply beginning October 1, 2026. Providers with 5-49 dwellings, and providers of mobile home or RV spaces, must comply beginning January 1, 2027.
The ordinance applies to a person* who leases, rents, or manages five or more dwellings owned by one person, or any number of spaces for mobile homes or recreational vehicles used as residences.
Note: This ordinance also applies to businesses. Under Austin City Code § 1 1 2 (General Definitions), A person* includes an individual, corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity, but does not include the City.
Landlords, Property Managers, and Owners must provide a Standard Disclosure Form to tenants and prospective tenants. Download the Standard Disclosure Form (link to doc).
If an advertisement highlights only concessions or incentives, such as “first month free” or “$500 off move-in,” without mentioning a rent amount, you do not need to disclose fees.
If you include a rent figure, you must list any mandatory recurring fixed fees alongside it in the advertisement. An example of advertising rent with a concession (fee disclosure required):
$1,800/month — includes $500 off move-in!
Base rent: $1,800/month
Mandatory monthly fees:
$75 trash/recycling fee
$30 amenity fee
$15 technology fee
Total monthly cost: $1,920
Yes, renter’s insurance should be disclosed as a variable fee with an estimated range. The property should also provide a range for the estimated cost of third-party insurance in the variable section.
It is acceptable written disclosure if the property discloses all fees on its website and all its advertisements in a manner consistent with the disclosure form (clearly showing mandatory, optional, and estimated variable fees).
You must ensure the fee information is accessible, clearly hyperlinked, and delivered to a prospective tenant.
Providers should disclose utilities as variable fees with ranges. This includes utility fees the tenant sets up.
Yes, community amenity fees should be disclosed as an optional fee. Especially if a clubhouse or common area is only available when the tenant pays a fee.
A prospective tenant must receive a written disclosure (electronic or physical) of total costs before submitting an application or making any payment.
If they apply through a third-party site (i.e., Zillow), the best option may be to provide a link to the full disclosure form.
Yes, it will be considered compliant if the fee names do not directly match the lease language. The standard disclosure form uses open fields, so housing providers can use names they prefer for any fees.
The Texas Apartment Association (TAA) lease uses different names for some fees than the City of Austin Standard Disclosure Form. For example, the TAA lease refers to “pet rent” as “animal rent”.
Frequently Asked Questions for Renters
Anyone who wishes to file a complaint can
File in person: 505 Barton Springs Road, Suite 515, Austin, TX 78704
Call us directly to speak with an investigator: 512-974-3251
The Austin Equity and Inclusion team is here to answer your questions, guide you through the complaint process, and clarify your rights and options. We provide support online, in person, or by phone to ensure the process is accessible and meets your needs.
Austin Equity and Inclusion will oversee the full enforcement process. The process is as follows:
Intake & Confirmation: Your complaint is received, logged, and you get a confirmation notice.
Preliminary Review: We check whether the issue falls under our authority and determine the appropriate next steps.
Investigation: An investigator gathers information, interviews the people involved, and reviews documents or evidence.
Findings & Decision: We review the investigation results and issue a formal determination.
Resolution & Follow Up: If a violation is found, enforcement does not begin right away. During that time, we’ll inform you of the findings and guide you on what to do next.
The ordinance allows the City to issue penalties to the housing provider, but it does not provide compensation to tenants.
This is standard across City of Austin codes. For example, if a property owner violates minimum housing standards, the City can issue citations or orders to correct the violation, but it does not reimburse tenants for any inconvenience or cost they experienced. The goal of code enforcement is to bring the provider into compliance, not to reimburse individuals for harm or inconvenience.